Parker teams with CalMotors and US 1 Industries to develop hybrid-electric trucks.
Like many shipping ports looking to reduce their carbon footprint, the Port of Long Beach has a strict Clean Truck Program, which bans all trucks that do not meet the 2007 Federal Clean Truck Emissions Standards. Helping to meet these standards, Parker has teamed with CalMotors and US 1 Industries to develop a series-electric hybrid truck for use at the Port, historically the site of countless haulers spewing diesel fumes. In series hybrids, only the electric motor drives the drivetrain, and the internal-combustion engine works as a generator to power the electric motor or to recharge the batteries.
Parker’s MPP series traction motor and inverter are integral components of the truck built by US 1. US 1 uses a 215kW Parker MPP traction motor as the single source of torque for their Class 8 truck — a large tractor-trailer truck with a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 lbs. Thanks to the large speed range of the MPP, the truck can travel at a continuous velocity of 70 mph. Using the MPP motor, the truck has better acceleration and passing capabilities compared to the stock diesel engine typically in the truck. An onboard generator will be used to recharge the batteries as energy is depleted giving it a range of 200 miles on a single charge — at full load.
CalMotors is the company responsible for the complete integration of the power train. “Their intimate knowledge of the Parker components is invaluable to the optimization and ultimate success of this vehicle,” says Jay Schultz, product manager for Parker’s MPP motors.
The first truck will serve as a test vehicle at the Port and will collect data over a few months to confirm the theoretical performance calculations predicted by CalMotors. The Parker drive system is expected to have a timely payback for US 1; however, the emissions reduction will be realized immediately.
“Parker has been an excellent partner for CalMotors as we engineer complete powertrain solutions for all sizes of vehicles,” says Mike Kasaba, president of CalMotors. “The motor efficiency, performance and broad range of motor options along with Parker’s agility and fast response time has allowed us to tailor an impressive powertrain system for a Class 8 truck.”
Designed for the demanding applications found in today’s high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles, Parker’s MPP traction motors offer lower weight and higher power, all in a smaller package than other traction motors. High-performance neodymium magnets are employed for higher torque output. Parker’s MPP motors feature innovative winding design and Parker’s exclusive dual cooling implementation, which features a patent-pending internal cooling technology. This design yields up to 40% higher torque per unit size than conventionally constructed permanent magnet motors.
More cargo and containers move through the Port of Long Beach than any other port in the United States. By implementing Parker’s MPP motors in their trucks, US 1 is helping the busiest industrial port in the country meet its emission goals.